Gustavus Adolphus College

Andrea Carlile, a Gustavus Adolphus College junior political science major from Chatham, Ill., made it to the semi-final round of the 134th Interstate Oratorical Association National Contest in April at the University of West Florida in Pensacola.

The Interstate Oratorical Association National Contest is the oldest annual public speaking contest in the United States. Sixty of the nation’s top collegiate persuasive speakers compete, with each state entering a maximum of two speakers. Students qualify by winning first or second place in their state forensics tournament. Past contestants of note include Robert M. LaFollette, Albert J. Bevridge, and Otta A. Hauerback.

Carlile, the first Gustavus student to compete in the event in more than 20 years, has qualified for the competition two consecutive years, and her success proves that she is among the top persuasive collegiate student speakers in the country.

“Andrea is an exemplary student leader and a role model to other students,” says Kristofer Kracht, the co-director of the forensics team and visiting instructor of communication studies at Gustavus. “Her performance tells students that small colleges can contribute and compete against anyone and everyone, because small liberal arts colleges and large universities compete in the same tournaments.”

At the Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament and Convention held in March of 2005 at Webster University in St. Louis, Mo., Carlile was selected as an at-large student representative of the Pi Kappa Delta Forensics Honorary National Council. She is one of two representatives, chosen by her peers, for the two-year position.

Gustavus has been a member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Oratorical Association since 1901. In 1923, Gustavus became one of four Minnesota charter members of Pi Kappa Delta, the national honor society in forensics.